The Trail We Blaze
by PlaidClad
Summary: It's not every day you awake from a wild night of drinking and superhero movies to find yourself in the Korcari Wilds. Jennifer, Laura, and Conor, three unremarkable and ordinary friends flip their shit when they discover this has happened to them. An attempt at a realistic Self-Insert story, you have been warned. Eventual OC/Canon romance. Rated M for swearing.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note: Hi guys, this is the first fanfiction I've written in years that I've actually followed through with. So, as the summary says this is a self-insert fanfiction, but I wanted to try to make it as realistic as possible. Hopefully the characters aren't super whiny. The first couple of chapters will be slow just because I want to take my time to establish the characters in Thedas. Constructive criticism is greatly appreciated. Anyways, happy reading. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything regarding Dragon Age.**

Laura was the first one to become conscious. Her head felt like it was trapped in a vice. She hesitated to open her eyes. She knew as soon as she opened them she would have to deal with a headache. It was the feeling of wind against her face that made Laura eventually open them. It took a minute for her still groggy eyes to register that she was not staring at the ceiling of her basement, but the branches of a very large tree. It then occurred to her that she was laying on a bunch of leaves and tree roots instead of carpet.

Laura sat up quickly, letting out a hiss of pain and grabbed her head. The world was spinning and she almost vomited. She wondered how this had happened and where she was. The last thing the young woman remembered was watching The Avengers in her basement with two of her friends, while consuming a lot of booze.

She slowly got up and limped towards a nearby bush which she vomited in. She wiped her mouth on the sleeve of her sweater and stood up. Laura stared at the sight in front of her; an unending mass of trees. There was something familiar about this forest, though Laura could not remember why. She shivered slightly. The forest seemed to radiate something foul, which filled her with not only an uneasy feeling, but the feeling of being watched.

A groan from behind her brought Laura back to where she had woken up. Lying down nearby were her friends, Jennifer and Conor. Conor was still unconscious, but Jennifer was sitting up. She looked around with an expression that was a mix of confusion and pain. Laura rushed towards her friend who quickly spotted her

"Laura!" said Jennifer, "Holy shit, thank god you're here."

"Same," Laura replied, offering Jennifer her hand. Jennifer took it and slowly got to her feet.

"Where's Conor?" she asked. Laura pointed to him, unconscious a few feet away on the ground. Jennifer gave Laura a dazed nod. She gazed around for a few seconds, before running to a bush to throw up. Laura cringed at the sounds her friend was making.

She moved towards Conor and knelt beside him. She wanted to wake him up but didn't know how. She spent a minute staring at him before sighing and poking the side of his face. Nothing happened.

"That's probably not gonna work." Laura jumped at the sound of Jennifer's voice. She turned her head to see Jennifer standing beside her, arms crossed.

"How are you feeling?" asked Laura. Jennifer sighed.

"Like shit. You?"

"Same." The two friends stood in silence. They were both still staring at Conor, trying to figure out how to wake him up. Jennifer nudged him with her foot.

"Really?" said Laura, giving her friend a dirty look.

"What? I was out cold, you're gonna need to use some force or smelling salts to wake him up," said Jennifer.

"Yeah, but we don't want to hurt him any more than he already is," Laura said.

"Try kissing him." Jennifer's comment earned her another glare from Laura. "what like you have any better ideas?"

"He's not Sleeping Beauty" Laura said.

"That's for sure," replied Jen. Laura smiled slightly at her friends comment. Conor's eyes began to open.

"He's waking up," Laura exclaimed. Jennifer knelt down beside her friend to get a closer look at Conor.

"What the hell?" groaned Conor. He sat up, and looked between Jennifer and Laura, "Where are we?"

"No clue," said Laura.

"I'd say we randomly wandered into the woods while drunk, but there wouldn't have been any forests close enough," added Jennifer.

"Well, wherever we are, it's creepy as fuck," said Conor. Jennifer nodded in agreement.

"It also looks very familiar," Laura said.

"Can you two give me a hand getting up, I'm not feeling well."

"Sure," said Laura, standing up. She and Jennifer moved to either side of Conor and gripped his arms, helping balance him as he stood up.

"So what now?" asked Conor. Laura and Jennifer shrugged. The three were startled by the sound of a very familiar voice coming from behind them. Laura felt shivers run down her spine.

"Yes, what do you three intend to do now?"

The three friends turned around, and what Laura saw almost made her faint. Standing a few feet away was Morrigan, a character from the video game series Dragon Age. The logical part of Laura's brain said this was a very good cosplayer, who looked, and sounded exactly like the character. No matter how much Laura wanted to believe it to be true, she knew it was not. Silence surrounded the group of friends.

Morrigan, who obviously had become annoyed with the three's staring, shot them an annoyed look. "Are you going to answer me?" she asked, "Or are you simple?"

"Sorry, but what are you doing here?" asked Conor. Morrigan's expression was a mix of annoyance and confusion. It was obvious she thought the trio was stupid. However she decided to answer them.

"I am here because a few hours ago my mother and I saw a rip in the sky, followed by a blinding flash of light over this area of the wilds. I was sent to investigate. When I arrived I found three humans wearing strange clothing and talking with accents I have never heard before." Silence, again.

Laura could not believe it. Everything she had seen so far pointed to two things: Thedas was real and she was standing in the middle of it. She turned to her friends; both Conor and Jen looked shocked. Jen caught Laura's eye, and the young woman knew they were thinking the same thing: they were screwed big time. Laura could feel the blood drain from her face. Her palms started sweating and her heart thumped loudly in her chest as her brain processed what being in Thedas actually meant. She was saved from her mental breakdown when Conor spoke.

"You're Morrigan I take it then, and your mother is Flemeth?" spoke Conor. Morrigan looked at him suspiciously.

"How do you know of us? My mother is famous because of the legends told about her, but I am not mentioned in any of them."

"If you take us to your mother we can explain everything," added Jennifer. Morrigan turned her gaze on Jennifer.

"We mean you no harm," said Conor, "My name is Conor."

"I'm Laura, and this Jennifer," said Laura pointing to herself and then to her friend. Morrigan stared at the three, assessing their threat level. Laura shrunk under Morrigan's gaze. The apostate's golden eyes were piercing, and her calculating stare unnerved Laura slightly.

Deciding that the trio posed no threat Morrigan sighed and said, "Follow me, and keep up."

Keeping up with Morrigan was easier said than done. The thick vegetation and uneven footing caused by rocks and tree roots did not hinder the apostate. Morrigan seemed to seemed to glide over them. "She like an elf," Jen had muttered to Laura ten minutes into their journey. The three friends had a harder time making their way through the wilds. They were used to traveling long distances by bus rather than by foot. More than once one of them tripped or did a face plant. The journey to Flemeth's hut took three hours of fast walking, and by the end Laura was sure she was going to collapse. Flemeth was waiting outside when the group arrived, which Laura found a little unsettling.

"Hello mother," greeted Morrigan. Flemeth only nodded in reply before turning her attention towards Laura and her friends. The young woman felt her blood run cold. While Flemeth appeared to be a haggard old woman, there was an aura of authority and power around her. Though her eyes were the same golden as her daughter's, Flemeth's were reptilian with something far more dangerous behind them. Her gaze seemed to reach straight into Laura's soul. After examining the trio, Flemeth smiled, which creeped Laura out even more.

"I see you have brought some very important guests back from your trip into the wilds."

"Important?" Morrigan repeated, obviously shocked. Laura, Conor, and Jennifer exchanged looks of confusion between each other.

"Come in, the hours grows late and we have much to discuss." Flemeth said, ushering everyone into her hut. Laura took a deep breath and entered.

Flemeth's hut consisted of one room, but even Laura could see it was well built. Dried herbs hung from the ceiling along with fresh game and rabbit pelts. Pushed to the back wall were two small beds, and a chest. On another wall was a fire pit with a fire burning and a pot hanging above. In the middle of the hut was a long table filled with tools for creating potions along with tomes. There were enough stools for the friends along with Morrigan and Flemeth to sit around the table, which surprised Laura. The young woman could smell what was being cooked, and it reminded her she hadn't had anything to eat in hours.

"Now I am sure you three have a lot of question for me," started Flemeth. Laura nodded. There was an uneasy silence. No one knew where to begin, so Flemeth spoke again.

"I know you are not from this world, but what I do not know is how you know of me or my daughter."

"How do you know we're from another world?" asked Jennifer. Flemeth smiled her creepy smile again.

"You were brought here through a temporary rip in the veil," answered Flemeth. Laura nodded in understanding, that made a lot of sense, especially since tears in the veil were a common thing within Dragon Age.

"But why did the veil rip on our side, and why us?" asked Laura.

"I do not know child," answered Flemeth.

"So what, we're supposed to stop the Blight or something?" asked Conor.

"That is the best explanation, since you three know what is about to occur in Thedas. "Tell me, why is that?" replied Flemeth.

"There's a tale called Dragon Age where we come from. You and Morrigan are in it. The only problem is, depending on who tells the story the events differ, along with who carries them out," Conor explained.

"I see. And Morrigan and I remain constant through each retelling?"

"More or less." Conor replied. Flemeth nodded.

"So we're actually in Thedas? This is real?" asked Jennifer.

"What is real young one? Reality is fluid and changeable."

"Touché."

"Now, you know my name and Morrigan's but I do not have yours." Said Flemeth. Laura and the others each introduced themselves.

"What an interesting group. I was not expecting a mage to be among you," said Flemeth. The three friends let out a collective 'what?'. Laura and her friend looked at Flemeth, shocked and confused. Flemeth set her eyes on Laura, who backed up in her chair.

"Do you not have mages where you are from?" asked Morrigan, speaking for the first time since entering the hut.

"No we don't," said Laura.

"Odd," noted Flemeth, her eyes still trained on Laura.

"So, I'm a mage?" asked the young woman. She felt both excited and an overwhelming sense of dread.

"Yes, and the fact you do not know how to use your powers is an inconvenience, for I do not have time to teach you before you leave," answered Flemeth.

"When are we leaving?" asked Conor, "and where are you sending us?"

"To Lothering."

"Hasn't Lothering been destroyed?" asked Laura.

"Not yet," Conor said, "Because Morrigan is still here." Conor whispered the last part.

"Correct," said Flemeth.

"What year is it exactly?" asked Conor.

"Year 30 of the Dragon Age, if you're wondering when in the Blight it is, it is at the start. King Cailan has just set up camp at Ostagar."

"I was wondering about the lack of darkspawn we came across on our way here," Jennifer commented.

"They are surrounding the area around Ostagar, and this hut is protected by my magic. The darkspawn are not so numerous yet, you should be safe when you leave tomorrow."

"Tomorrow?" repeated Conor.

"Yes, the sooner you leave the better, it is a couple days journey. Morrigan will guide you there," said Flemeth.

"What!" exclaimed Morrigan.

"Quiet girl. These three are important to the fate of Thedas, I cannot have them murdered before they complete their task. Now go check on the stew."

"So there is a plan for us, or at least you have one," said Jennifer.

"Clever girl," said Flemeth. Laura didn't know if the witch was being sarcastic or actually giving a compliment to Jennifer.

Flemeth continued speaking, "You three know what is to happen, I want you to make sure events occur in a way that benefits Thedas."

"And yourself," added Jennifer. Flemeth turned her gaze to the young woman, who seemed to shrink in her spot.

"I will gather what you need for the journey, then we will eat, and you will sleep. You will be leaving at dawn tomorrow," said Flemeth. The three friends nodded in understanding.

The night passed by in a blur for Laura. She and the others did not speak, each caught up in their own thoughts. All she could think about was her family and if they noticed she was gone, and how likely she would never see them again. Laura ate the stew Morrigan made but did not taste it. She went to bed full of dread for what was to come.


	2. Chapter 2

**Here's chapter number two. Like the previous one this chapter will be pretty slow. More will happen in chapter 3, which I hope to post by this time next week. Happy reading :D **

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything related to the Dragon Age video game series, this is purely a work of fiction for fun. **

The journey to Lothering was just as awkward as the walk to Flemeth's hut. Jennifer, Laura, and Conor constantly found themselves tripping over roots and rocks. Jennifer kept one hand on the dagger Flemeth had given her, just in case a darkspawn decided to pop out from behind a bush. The young woman was jumpier than usual thanks to her severe lack of sleep.

The three friends had slept in bedrolls on the ground of Flemeth's hut, and had crawled into bed only a few hours after the sun had set. Despite the tiring day Jennifer could not sleep and spent most of the night trying to block out the sounds of everyone's snoring. She had only managed to get, what she guessed to be, two hours of sleep before being woken up by Morrigan. It was before dawn and Flemeth provided them with what they would need for the journey.

The witch's generosity was surprising. She gave the three friends enough food and water for the journey. She also gave them clothing, travel packs and bedrolls, Flemeth was able to give Laura a staff but could only find a couple small daggers for Conor and Jennifer. The friends and Morrigan set out at sunrise and had walked non-stop to sunset. Morrigan explained to them that it was a three day walk to Lothering.

Jennifer was thankful peasants' skirts in Ferelden were not floor length. The young woman doubted she would have been able to walk as far as she did if her skirt was any longer. It still was not easy to move. The boots Flemeth had given her were too big, and the corset restricted her breathing, plus the fabric of the skirt and blouse was itchy as hell.

"Don't you think it was a little odd that Flemeth gave us all this stuff?" asked Laura. She and Jennifer were collecting extra firewood while Morrigan and Conor set up camp for the night.

"Yeah, though it is Flemeth, so she probably expects something in return," Jennifer said. Laura nodded in agreement.

"Most likely," she said. A moment passed and Laura spoke again, "I wonder why she has all this extra stuff lying around."

"It's Flemeth, do you really want to know?" replied Jennifer.

"It's still creepy," added Laura. Jennifer had to agree. There were only a few reason's Flemeth would have extra clothing and travel gear to spare and none of them were pleasant, especially the explanation regarding why she had men's clothing.

Before Jennifer could reply she heard a sound come from a few feet away in the bushes. It sounded like a growl. Jennifer's blood ran cold and she froze in terror. A look at Laura confirmed that she had heard the noise as well. Jennifer inhaled and tried to hold her breath in the hope that whatever was in the brush wouldn't notice her or Laura. A few seconds passed and nothing happened. Jennifer started to relax when the biggest wolf she had ever seen came crashing through the bushes.

Without even thinking, the young woman let out the loudest shriek she could manage and turned around. Laura did the same and the two friends sprinted as fast as they could back to camp. Jennifer was barely aware of any of her surroundings, flight had beaten fight and her vision was fixed on getting back to camp. She was unaware of the tree branches scratching her face or the rock she tripped over, until it happened.

Jennifer let out another startled scream as she fell forwards, dropping the fire wood. She heard but did not register Laura calling out her name. Jennifer was able to break her fall but scraped her arms in the process. She closed her eyes waiting for the wolf to lunge, but it never did. Instead she heard a howl of pain. Jennifer stood up, dazed and shaking from head to foot. She turned around to see the wolf on the ground and Laura holding the staff Flemeth had given her.

Laura turned away from the wolf and toward Jennifer. The two friends relaxed seeing that the other was ok. Jennifer picked up the firewood she had dropped and walked over to Laura who looked dazed, and slightly confused.

"Are you ok?" asked Laura when Jennifer reached her. Jen nodded.

"Yeah, you?"

"Yes, just…I don't know, shocked," said Laura. Jennifer looked at the wolf.

"What did you do?" she asked.

"I don't know. I saw you fall and I raised my staff hoping for something to come out of it, and suddenly a giant thing of lightning comes out of it and hits the wolf. I think I killed it," explained Laura. Jennifer looked closely at her friend and could see Laura was shaking as well.

"Well, let's grab the wood and get out of here," she said. Laura nodded and started picking up the wood she had dropped. It was then that Jennifer heard the growl. Again she froze in fear and her stomach seemed to drop as she realized came to a horrible realization. Laura had only stunned the wolf.

Before it had time to lunge the wolf was attacked by another wolf with darker fur. Jennifer stared as the two fought viciously. The fight only lasted a couple of minutes, with the darker furred wolf winning. It fixed its amber eyes on the two friends, and Jennifer realized it was Morrigan. Sure enough, the wolf morphed into the apostate, who looked incredibly annoyed.

"I am starting to believe you are as stupid as I first thought," she said. Neither Jennifer nor Laura spoke. Both women had experienced in the past half-hour things they never thought possible. So they stood and stared at Morrigan, unable to speak. Morrigan rolled her eyes and continued talking.

"Next time you two are attacked do not squeal like frightened babes. You will attract darkspawn. And make sure your enemy is dead before you turn your back to it."

"Sorry," muttered Jennifer. She could feel her face redden under the woman's judgmental gaze. She felt her throat tighten and a mix of shame and guilt well up inside her. The young woman found herself fighting the urge to cry.

"Thanks for saving us," added Laura awkwardly. Morrigan ignored the two friends and moved towards the wolf's corpse. She leant down to inspect it and after a couple moments stood up and pointed to Jennifer.

"You two, help me carry this back to camp. 'tis not safe to skin it here," she said. Jennifer passed her firewood to Laura and helped Morrigan lift the wolf.

"Are we going to use the wolf's meat for food?" asked Jennifer.

"No, 'twas corrupted by the darkspawn," Morrigan responded, "I will give you the pelt to sell; I will keep the bones, teeth, and claws for my potions."

_That's not creepy at all_, thought Jennifer. The walk back to camp was quiet. Once back Morrigan proceeded to criticize Conor's attempt at building a fire. The three friends watched Morrigan closely as she remade the fire. Jennifer volunteered to help Morrigan skin the wolf. The other woman seemed annoyed at Jennifer's actions but said nothing. She showed Jennifer how to properly de-pelt a wolf and dismember its body. By the end Jennifer had lost her appetite.

The group ate dinner and crawled into the bedrolls, quickly falling asleep despite the hard earth they were laying on. Morrigan told them that she would keep watch for the night. Again the group woke up before dawn and spent the day walking. While Jennifer found herself feeling strung out and exhausted, Morrigan still appeared to be full of energy and alert.

"She's a tank," Jennifer whispered to Conor as they walked through the wilds. Conor nodded in agreement.

"I think she's draining our energy and using it for herself, it's the only way," said Conor.

"Or you three are simply weak imbeciles," Morrigan spoke, not turning around to look at the friends. _Well, shit_, thought Jennifer. That night the three friends sat around the fire after eating and took the time to discuss what was actually happening to them. It was the first time since arriving in Thedas any of them had the opportunity and were ready to talk about their situation.

"So, how fucked are we?" asked Jennifer.

"Very," replied Laura.

Conor nodded in agreement and added, "None of us can fight, or has basic survival skills. I say we're dead in a week."

Jennifer could feel the dread begin to grow inside her chest again. This wasn't good at all. What would happen when she did finally drop dead? Would she go to the Fade or wake up back home? Though there was always the threat of dying back on Earth, in Thedas Jennifer had become even more aware of her own mortality. If Jennifer knew herself, she'd die from eating poison berries before any darkspawn could get to her.

"So what happens when we die? Do we wake up back home or do end up in the Fade?" asked Laura.

"I dunno," said Conor.

"Speaking of which," Jennifer added, "Do you think our parents know we're missing?"

"And how time passes here compared to back home?" asked Laura.

"I have no clue, the only way to know would be to go back home," Conor said.

Jennifer nodded. She didn't want to think about what her parents were going through. She couldn't even imagine the grief they must be feeling knowing their only child is missing.

"When we get to Lothering what's our cover story gonna be?" she asked quickly. Conor and Laura looked a little confused at the complete switch in topic, but ran with it.

"Well, should we keep our names?" asked Laura.

"Might as well," said Conor, "they're different but not totally outlandish. Arl Eamon's son has the same name."

"I agree," said Jennifer.

"Explaining our accents will be tough," said Laura.

"Well, Conor's easy enough; his makes him sound like he's from Starkhaven. It's yours and mine that's gonna be tough to explain." Jennifer said. The group sat in silence, trying to figure out how they were going to have a plausible explanation for Jennifer and Laura's accents.

"Dwarves are North American sounding," said Conor.

"We're not dwarves," Laura responded. Conor shot her an exasperated look.

"Well, think of somewhere a human would pick up a dwarven accent."

"Like the Merchant's Guild at Kirkwall?" suggested Laura.

"Exactly."

"Yay for hybridity and contact zones," said Jennifer. Laura gave her friend a confused look.

"Thank you history major," said Conor. Jennifer smiled slightly.

"Do you think that would actually work though?" asked Laura.

"Sure, when two cultures come into contact with another they're bound to rub off on each other. I mean Varric is like the most un-dwarf acting as dwarves get," Jennifer explained, "He's spent his entire life in Kirkwall and so he's picked up human culture along with dwarven culture."

"Ok, so mine and Jen's parents are merchants from Kirkwall, and we grew up together," said Laura.

"And let's just say my parents were merchants as well, and we moved to Kirkwall from Starkhaven," added Conor, "Which is where I met you two."

"And we're in Ferelden 'cause we're traveling?" said Jennifer.

"It does have lots of ruins and castles," Conor said.

"So it's decided. We have our cover story," Laura said. Jennifer and Conor nodded.

"Now let's hope we don't run into anyone from Kirkwall," added Jennifer.

That night Morrigan gave Jennifer first watch, since Morrigan was human (much to Jennifer's surprise) and needed sleep. She instructed Jennifer to wake her when the moon was half way across the sky.

Since Flemeth had not supplied the group with traveling cloaks, Jennifer wrapped her bedroll around her to block out the night's cold air. She hated the Korcari Wilds. It was always damp, and the cold seemed to seep into her bones. Being from Canada Jennifer was used to the cold, but snow and icy wind. The cold back home had a sharpness to it, in the Korcari wilds it was a milder but more invasive and depressing cold. The forest itself gave off a creepy aura, one that put Jennifer on edge. She felt a darkspawn could come crashing through the brush at any moment. So she spent half the night tense, one hand on the dagger, and shivering.

When it was time for Morrigan's watch the witch was awake before Jennifer even tried to wake her up. Jennifer made a mental note to ask Morrigan how she did that.

The third and final day of traveling passed without incident. The three friends were too tired to even speak to another. Jennifer felt like she had been hit by a freight train. Her muscles ached and protested every time she moved. The scratches and cuts on her face, arms, and hands stung. Morrigan had made a salve to help them heal and keep from scarring but it would take a day or two for it to work. Laura and Conor seemed to not be in much better condition. In fact, Conor looked like he had a limp.

Jennifer couldn't help the wry grin that reached her face when she spotted the entrance to Lothering. If a three day journey had taken that much energy from the group, how were they ever going to survive the Blight?

It was sundown so Morrigan decided it would be best to wait until morning before she headed back home. Jennifer wasn't super sad to see Morrigan go. The witch was very useful for surviving in the woods but Jennifer got an unsettling feeling every time Morrigan was around. As they sat around the fire that evening Morrigan pulled out a small leather book from her pack and handed it to Laura.

"Mother told me to give this to you at the right time," she said. Her voice was bored, and Jennifer guessed that after living with Flemeth all your life you get used to the woman's cryptic nature.

"Thank you," said Laura.

"'tis a tome of spells and potions, nothing complicated," said Morrigan," I assume you can read."

"Yes I can read," deadpanned Laura. She flipped through the book for the rest of the night.

Morrigan did not look the least bit sad to be leaving Jennifer and the others. Jennifer didn't blame her. The goodbye was as awkward as it could be. No one really knew what to say.

"Thanks for everything," said Conor.

"Yeah we wouldn't have made it here without you," added Jennifer.

"Yes, thank you," Laura said. Morrigan looked slightly uncomfortable receiving the group's thank you's. She nodded her head and walked away.

"See you soon!" called Jennifer. The young woman could have sworn Morrigan's steps faltered for a moment.

Jennifer, Laura, and Conor made it into the village without any trouble. The bandits had not arrived yet to "collect tolls", and while refugees had started coming into the village it was fairly empty.

"So now what?" asked Jennifer.

"We split up and gather information?" suggested Laura.

"Might as well," said Conor. And with that the three friends began their journey through Lothering. And much like they're journey through the Korcari Wilds it did not go well.


	3. Chapter 3

Lothering was probably the most depressing place Conor had ever seen. Like the Korcari Wilds, the dampness in the air seemed to seep into everything. The sky was overcast, draining the colours of the surrounding area and giving everything a grayish tinge. Conor wondered if the village was normally like this or if the muted colours and general feeling of despair that hung in the air was a side effect of the Blight.

"Alright, who's going where?" asked Conor. He, Jen, and Laura

huddled together at the edge of the village.

"We should probably check the chantry for information," said Laura.

"The Chanter's board may have a couple odd jobs that we can do," Jennifer suggested.

"I doubt there'll be anything but it's worth a shot," said Conor.

"One of us should probably scout out the town's layout," Jennifer added, "maybe find an abandoned building for us to stay in."

"Even though we know the layout of the town because of playing the game, it may be different in real life," said Laura. Conor nodded in agreement.

"It wouldn't hurt," he said, "I'll find a merchant to buy the wolf pelt, maybe get some food money."

"Good idea," said Laura.

"Especially since I have the best people skills out of everyone here," said Conor, he was only half-joking.

"Sad but true," said Jennifer.

"Who's going to the Chantry then?" asked Laura.

"I will, since it's probably not a good idea for you to be in a building full of Templars and Chantry administration." Jennifer said.

"True, so I guess I'll look around for a house or barn for us to sleep in tonight," said Laura.

"Off we go then," Jennifer said.

The group made their way towards the center of town. Conor's ankle was still hurting from when he tripped on a rock a couple days ago; he limped slightly behind Laura and Jennifer. He noticed a couple villagers staring at them suspiciously. He guessed that with all the armies moving to Ostagar villagers would be more cautious around strangers. Still, the clothing Flemeth gave him allowed him to pass as a peasant. Conor hoped he and the others appeared as ordinary Fereldens fleeing the blight. He shuddered slightly at the thought of wearing a dead man's clothes.

A quick look around town showed no signs of the local Bann's men. There were only a few Templars standing around, looking menacing as usual. The town was still fairly empty. The majority of refugees fleeing the Blight would come soon though.

Jennifer said a quick goodbye when they reached the Chantry. Conor and Laura watched their friend disappear into the Chantry's courtyard. Conor turned to his right and raised his eyebrows at what he saw. The sleazy merchant from the game had already set up his caravan in Lothering and was trading with peasants. Conor nudged Laura to get her attention.

"What?" she asked. Conor pointed to the merchant and Laura nodded in understanding.

"Are you going to trade with him?" she asked.

"God no woman, I'll find another person to trade with," he replied.

Laura and Conor made their way over the bridge and into the section of Lothering with the tavern, other shops, and houses. Conor spotted what looked like a sign for a corner store, or whatever the Ferelden equivalent was. He and Laura parted ways, wishing each other good luck. Laura started walking towards what looked like a windmill. Conor took a moment to mentally prepare himself before entering the building.

The shop was small, and the building looked crudely made. Conor wouldn't have been surprised if it suddenly decided to collapse. The store consisted of one dimly lit room that smelt musty. Dried game and herbs hung from the ceiling. Near the back wall was a counter. Behind the counter was a door, which a man (whom Conor guessed was the shopkeeper) stepped through. The man looked at Conor with a mix of suspicion and boredom. Conor put on his best polite smile and walked over to the counter.

"Hello, welcome to Galen's shop, what were you looking for?" greeted the shopkeeper. He was a tall middle-aged man. His face was gaunt and topped with bright red hair. "I will warn you my stock is low at the moment."

"I was actually hoping to sell a wolf pelt," said Conor. The shopkeeper, Galen, raised his eyebrows.

"Just one?" he asked. Conor ignored Galen's judgemental stare.

"Yes, just one," he said.

"I can give you two silvers and five coppers for it," offered Galen. Conor hesitated. He wasn't sure if Galen was giving him a decent offer. The young man mentally chided himself. He had no idea how much things in Ferelden cost, he only had a basic idea based on what he had seen in the video game. There was no way he would be able to barter with Galen. He decided to take the money that Galen offered figuring any money was better than no money.

"All right." Conor removed the wolf pelt from his pack and handed it to Galen, who gave Conor the money. Conor counted the coins and looked back at the shopkeeper.

"How much food will this buy me?" he asked. Again Galen raised his eyebrows.

"A loaf of bread and a few apples," he said.

Conor handed the man the money, "I'll buy that if you don't mind."

"Of course," said Galen. He took the money back. He picked up the wolf pelt and disappeared through the door behind the counter. A minute or two passed and Galen returned with a loaf of bread and four apples. He gave them to Conor.

"Are you fleeing the darkspawn?" asked Galen.

Conor nodded, "Yes, my friends and I are."

"No family?"

"They're back in Kirkwall," Conor answered. He didn't appreciate Galen's nosiness.

"I'm taking my family North in a couple days," said Galen, "You should probably leave Lothering soon as well."

"Thanks for the advice," Conor said, "Good luck on your trip north."

"Thank you," Galen smiled, "be safe lad."

"Always am," replied Conor with a polite smile. He put his newly purchased food in his pack and exited the shop. Once outside he realized he had no idea where Laura was. They hadn't set up a meeting point or time. Conor could have punched himself for being so stupid.

It would be almost impossible to find Laura. He wondered whether he should stay and wait for Laura to find him? Conor had no idea if she would even think to come looking for him here. It was like Comicon all over again. Damn Thedas and its lack of cell phones.

Conor decided to spend an hour looking around for Laura, after that he would meet up with Jennifer at the Chantry. Now where to start? Conor looked around trying to decide where to go when he spotted an older woman hanging laundry.

As Conor approached he saw the woman look his way. Again he was given a suspicious look and Conor put on his least threatening expression. The woman still looked at him suspiciously, but did not make any attempt to leave her laundry.

"Excuse me, but my friend and I have managed to get separated from each other," he said,

"And I'm worried for her safety, with everything that is going on at Ostagar, I would hate for her to be stuck by herself once the sun sets."

The woman seemed to relax a little and replied, "Oh, that's terrible. You're not from around here are you?

"No, Kirkwall," replied Conor.

"I see," the woman said, "What does your friend look like?"

"She's twenty, short and has…" Conor trailed off, he could not remember the colour of Laura's hair. Back home her hair had been dyed a dark burgundy, but Conor had not noticed if Laura's hair had reverted back to its original colour. Come to think of it, Conor, Laura, and Jennifer all wore glasses back on Earth, but here they seemed to have decent eyesight without wearing them.

Conor decided to take a guess, deciding to use Laura's natural hair colour, and continued his description of Laura, "She has light, mousy brown hair and hazel eyes."

The older woman nodded in recognition, "I saw her over by the well not too long ago."

"Thank you so much," said Conor. The woman smiled.

"Good luck, I hope she hasn't come to any harm."

"Thank you." With that Conor headed towards the well. He had no luck finding Laura, though he did pass a row of hanging cages. Conor stopped mid-step when he saw what was in one of them. Sten, the Qunari prisoner, was sitting, staring out the cage at nothing particular. Conor almost approached the cage (seeing as Sten was one of his favourite characters), but decided that finding Laura quickly was more important. He could fanboy later.

Feeling defeated Conor crossed the bridge and into the side of Lothering with the Chantry. Conor's ankle was really starting to bother him; he made a mental note to apply more of that healing salve Morrigan had given him and the others.

Conor stopped walking suddenly when he realized the opportunity in front of him. There sat the sleazy merchant's caravan, unguarded. No one was around, not even the Chanter who usually stood in front of the chanter's board. Not even a single Templar stood watch. It was too perfect an opportunity to pass up. Conor, Laura, and Jen needed armour and weapons, which cost money. They also needed food and other supplies. Conor knew it was wrong to steal, but he was in need, and that Merchant was an asshole anyways thought Conor.

Conor looked around from something to pick the lock with and settled on a couple sturdy sticks lying by the caravan. Conor took one more look around to see if anyone was looking. Seeing that no one was there he made his way over to a chest that looked like it contained the merchant's money.

Once crouching in front of the chest Conor realized he had no idea what to do. He stayed still in front to the chest, staring at the lock for a good five minutes. Conor tried to recall everything he had seen in movies and even how lockpicking was done in Skyrim. With a sigh Conor began trying (and failing) to pick the lock. He was making some progress when he felt a pair of strong hands grab his shoulders and lift him to a standing position. Conor let out a yell of surprise. He was forcefully turned around so that he came face to face with a Templar knight.

"What are you doing?" the Templar's deep voice echoed out of his helmet. Conor had never realized how intimidating Templars actually were. Without waiting for Conor to respond the knight pulled Conor by his shirt collar towards the chantry. Conor did his best to keep up with the Templar, but his bad ankle made it impossible. The knight ended up dragging Conor, who tried to focus on something other than the immense pain in his ankle.

The Templar dragged Conor into the Chantry, where many people either stared curiously or accusingly at him. Conor scanned the faces looking for Jennifer. He spotted her near the front of the main hall, standing beside a very familiar looking red head. Conor managed to catch

Jennifer's eye as he passed. At first her eyes widened in shock, and then she sent him a look of disbelief.

Conor was roughly pushed into an office he recognized as belonging to the Chantry's head Mother. She was there, along with the Templar in charge. Again Conor was met with looks of curiosity and accusation.

"What is it Ser William?" asked the Templar in Charge.

"Ser Bryant, I found this thief trying to break into a merchant's stash," replied Ser William.

"The one overcharging the townspeople for his goods?" asked the Chantry Mother.

"Yes Mother," said Ser William. Ser Bryant and the Mother looked at Conor.

"What do you have to say about this?" asked Ser Bryant harshly.

"I have no money and I needed supplies," replied Conor. Ser Bryant shook his head while the Mother looked on; there was pity in her eyes.

"Take him to the cages. I cannot afford to appear lenient. We must keep order the best we can," said Ser Bryant. He looked at the Chantry Mother who nodded her head in agreement.

Ser William pulled Conor's pack from his back and passed it to Ser Bryant who handed him what Conor assumed to be the key to the cages. Conor had to stifle a cry of pain when Ser William began to drag him out of the office.

Conor did not embarrass easily, he considered himself pretty shameless actually. He was thankful this as Ser William dragged him through the streets of Lothering. The young man could feel the glares and snide remarks being sent his way. Despite that, Conor kept his head held high, even as Ser William roughly pushed him into the holding cage.

It was sundown and starting to grow cold. Conor cursed his stupidity. Why did he think he could have stolen in broad daylight and gotten away with it? Video games made everything look so easy. Still, he should have known better. Conor wondered how he was going to get out of this mess. He wouldn't have been surprised if the Templars found him in the morning frozen to death or devoured by wolves.

He tried talking to Sten, but the Qunari ignored Conor's attempts to get his attention. Sten continued to stare out of the cage as Conor made an ass out of himself. After a while Conor gave up and began to think of possible ways to get out of his prison.

It was pitch-black that night. Clouds covered the moon, so Conor could only see a few inches in front of his face. The darkness was stifling and the only things he could hear were the howls of wolves and the creaking of his cage as it rocked back and forth from the wind. He mentally scolded himself again for being an idiot. It was cold, and this time Conor did not have a fire or a bedroll to keep him warm. He sat shivering and miserable inside the cage. The pain in his ankle was not going away but had reduced to a dull throbbing sensation.

Time passed slowly. Conor could not sleep either, he was too cold and too afraid of what was outside of his cage. He sat tensely, waiting for something to pounce at him. After what felt like a couple hours had passed Conor though he heard the sound of footsteps, which made his hair stand on end. A couple minutes passed and Conor was sure he heard the sound so footsteps approaching his cage.

There was a loud thud and Conor almost jumped out of his skin. The sound had come from only a few feet away. The thud was followed by the sound of muffled swearing. A couple moments passed and the footsteps drew nearer. If Conor listened closely enough he could swear there were two sets of footsteps, but he couldn't' be sure. The footsteps finally reached his cage, and Conor almost yelled in surprise when he heard his name called. Luckily he recognized the voice.

"Jennifer?" he said hesitantly.

"Yup," replied Jennifer. Conor sighed in relief.

"What are you doing here?"

"I came to break you out. And I brought help," said Jennifer. So Conor had heard another set of footsteps.

"You beautiful person," said Conor. Jennifer snorted and Conor heard the other person with Jennifer laugh lightly. It was a woman's voice.

"Right, Conor meet Leliana, Leliana meet Conor," Jennifer said, "I know you can't see each other, but I don't think that really matters for what we're about to do."

"Pleased to meet you," spoke Leliana. Like Morrigan, Leliana's voice was identical to the video game.

"Same," Conor replied. He heard the sound of metal sliding against metal and clicking noises. Leliana had started to pick the lock.

"I met Leliana at the Chantry and explained our situation to her. We did have a place in the Chantry to stay, but I think we lost it. I was chatting to Leliana when you were arrested. I managed to convince her to help you." Jennifer explained

"Yes. Jennifer assured me this was the first time you have ever stolen That merchant was a criminal, taking advantage of those in need, he deserves to be in these cages more than you do," explained Leliana. There was a loud click followed by the sound of the cage door being opened.

"Hold out your arms and we will help you down," instructed Leliana. Conor did as he was told. He felt Leliana and Jen grip his arms. He slowly lowered himself to the ground with their help. Conor let out a hiss of pain when he put weight on his injured ankle.

"Your ankle?" asked Jennifer.

"Yeah."

"We'll support you, put your arms around our shoulders," said Leliana. After a couple minutes of fumbling around in the dark they were ready to start walking.

"Where are we going?" whispered Conor.

"Laura found an abandoned hut just on the edge of town, she came to find me at the chantry and I told her what happened," explained Jennifer, "She's making some type of elf root tea to fix you up."

"That sounds safe," said Conor sarcastically.

"I know. Oh by the way, Leliana was able to grab your stuff from the Chantry."

"Thank you," said Conor.

"It was no trouble," whispered Leliana, "but let us remain silent for the rest of the journey, I believe the Templars are patrolling nearby."

Conor was thankful Leliana was there to help him and Jennifer find the hut where Laura was. It was difficult to walking the complete darkness. Conor lost his footing and almost fell (which he found out Jennifer had done while walking to his cage). It took what felt like hours to reach the hut. Conor was paranoid about every sound he heard and was glad when the group reached their destination. Both Conor and Jennifer thanked Leliana profusely. Leliana said she was only doing the Maker's work by helping those in need. Conor could hear the smile in the other woman's voice.

When Conor entered the hut he was met with an annoyed but relieved looking Laura. There was a small fire lit in the center of the hut with a pot hanging above it. The hut had one window, which the shutters had been closed on. Like Flemeth's hut it only had one room. Conor could see his stuff piled in one corner. Jennifer's and Laura's bedrolls had been laid out already near the fire. Conor grabbed his bedroll and the salve from his pack and walked over to the fire. He sat down and began to warm himself up. He had forgotten how cold he was.

"Are you ok, What happened, What did you do, Why did you do it, Are you an idiot?" Laura shot one question out after another at Conor.

"I'm fine my ankle's a bit sore," replied Conor, "I'll explain everything tomorrow."

"Ok. Try this elf root tea I made. It was in that book Flemeth gave me," said Laura. Conor gave his friend a skeptical look.

"I dunno, I think I'll just put some healing salve on my ankle," he said.

Laura looked a little disappointed, "Oh, ok then," she said. Jennifer sighed.

"I'll try some," she said. Laura smiled and handed Jennifer a cup. The other woman took a sip of it. Conor and Laura watched intently to see what would happen. A couple seconds passed and

Jennifer suddenly passed out, dropping to the floor like a stone. A moment of silence passed as Conor and Laura stared at Jennifer's unconscious body trying to see if she was still alive.

"Oops," said Laura. Conor snorted.

"Shit woman, is she ok?"

"Looks like it. It was just elf root in the tea so she should be fine."

"Are you sure it was elf root?"

"Yes," Laura didn't look very confident in her answer. Conor chose to ignore that.

"I'll stick to the salve I think," he said.

"I don't blame you."

Conor shook his head in disbelief. The warmth of the fire had made him sleepy. After spreading slave on his ankle and bandaging it, Conor pulled out his bedroll. He quickly fell into a deep sleep, swaddled in his bedroll.


End file.
